Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Santiago City Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Santiago City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Makati versus $660 in Santiago City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,009 in Makati versus $1,043 in Santiago City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,786 in Makati versus $1,426 in Santiago City.

Living in Makati is roughly 87% more expensive than Santiago City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 8% lower, Santiago City 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.80 ₱419

$6.46 ₱399

5.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.15 ₱2,784

$13.04 ₱804

246.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.93 ₱304

$3.57 ₱220

38.10%

Cappuccino

$2.87 ₱177

$0.93 ₱57.3

208.60%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.19 ₱73.5

$0.77 ₱47.33

54.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₱34.76

$0.33 ₱20.42

69.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ₱151

$1.09 ₱66.9

123.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ₱225

$1.72 ₱106

112.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₱132

$1.58 ₱97.6

35.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱88.4

$1.27 ₱78.5

12.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 ₱66.5

$0.77 ₱47.71

40.26%

Eggs

$2.34 ₱144

$1.52 ₱93.5

53.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.16 ₱503

$2.51 ₱155

225.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.43 ₱273

$3.28 ₱202

35.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.64 ₱471

$5.60 ₱345

36.43%

Apples (1kg)

$4.57 ₱282

$2.65 ₱164

72.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 ₱118

$1.04 ₱63.9

84.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 ₱166

$0.70 ₱43.00

285.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 ₱139

$1.42 ₱87.8

58.45%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 ₱203

$3.45 ₱213

-4.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 ₱177

$1.09 ₱67.4

162.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₱66.8

$0.82 ₱50.3

31.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱61.3

$1.00 ₱61.6

-1.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 ₱181

$2.28 ₱141

28.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.28 ₱511

$3.79 ₱233

118.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₱74.1

$1.08 ₱66.7

11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₱144

$1.73 ₱106

35.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱31.71

$0.26 ₱15.94

96.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱221

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱50.0

$0.83 ₱51.4

-2.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.12 ₱7.44

$0.14 ₱8.42

-14.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 ₱221

$3.51 ₱216

1.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.8

$1.09 ₱67.3

0.92%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$34.3K ₱2.1M

$22.4K ₱1.4M

52.98%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$21.5K ₱1.3M

$17.6K ₱1.1M

22.41%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$172 ₱10.6K

$75.2 ₱4,637

128.72%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$26.94 ₱1,661

$26.73 ₱1,648

0.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.49 ₱2,250

$22.70 ₱1,400

60.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 ₱3,452

$33.61 ₱2,072

66.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.79 ₱727

$4.55 ₱281

159.12%

Cinema Ticket

$7.90 ₱487

$5.40 ₱333

46.30%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$321 ₱19.8K

$88.8 ₱5,472

261.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,538 ₱464.8K

$4,353 ₱268.4K

73.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 ₱3,717

$42.33 ₱2,610

42.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.62 ₱2,197

$23.73 ₱1,464

50.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 ₱5,277

$53.3 ₱3,287

60.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₱7,516

$40.02 ₱2,468

204.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$666 ₱41.1K

$262 ₱16.1K

154.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱24.0K

$178 ₱11.0K

119.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,260 ₱139.4K

$597 ₱36.8K

278.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,024 ₱63.1K

$400 ₱24.6K

156.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,010 ₱370.6K

$2,351 ₱145.0K

155.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,852 ₱237.5K

$962 ₱59.3K

300.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$682 ₱42.0K

$218 ₱13.5K

212.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Makati: May 30, 2026

Last update for Santiago City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $666 in Makati and $262 in Santiago City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 212% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $45.00 in Makati vs $13.00 in Santiago City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $152 per month, with Santiago City cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Makati vs Santiago City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santiago City wins on cost – living expenses run 87% lower than in Makati. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Santiago City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Makati pays 212% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $666 in Makati versus $262 in Santiago City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 54% higher in Makati. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Makati versus $660 in Santiago City – a 87% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $660 in Santiago City versus $1,232 in Makati, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Santiago City but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Santiago City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Santiago City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $660 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Santiago City hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Makati and Santiago City are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Santiago City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 87% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.